Page 151 of Cole

“I love you too,” he murmured back. “More than I ever thought possible.”

As they stood together, the fading light of the day casting them in golden hues, Annie soaked in every emotion she was feeling.

“How long of an engagement do you want?” Cole asked.

“Do you have thoughts on that?”

“Oh, I have thoughts, but I’m willing to leave the decision up to you.”

Annie moved into his arms, gazing up at him. “How about July?”

A flicker of disappointment crossed Cole’s face. “Next year?”

“Nope. Next month.”

His brows lifted, and then a smile spread across his face. “I’m on board with that. One hundred percent.” He hesitated. “Butwhat about your dad and Elizabeth? Are they going to want a longer engagement?”

Annie considered it for a moment, but then shook her head. “I think Dad will be glad if we do it quickly, especially if we keep it quiet.”

Cole picked Annie up and swung her around, throwing his head back as he laughed. When he set her down, he cupped her face in his hands.

“You have made me the happiest man in the world. I can’t wait for July!”

~*~

Hands clasped in front of him, Cole shifted his weight from one foot to the other.

Aiden leaned close to him. “Nervous?”

“Nope. Excited.”

Before big games, he’d often experienced nervous excitement. This time, however, all he felt was pure excitement.

Today was the day he made Annie his wife.

As Annie had suspected, her dad hadn’t cared about the short timeline for their wedding. He’d had the money to pull together the wedding Annie wanted in a short period of time.

So now all their family was gathered together, along with a few close friends like Marcus and his wife, on the lawn of the estate.

It was a warm, but cloudy, day. Cole was glad for that because if it had been sunny, they might have ended up sweating through their fancy clothes.

Aiden was standing up with him, along with Jay and Marcus. The three men he was closest to in his life.

Cole watched as the first of Annie’s bridesmaids made their way between the rows of white chairs that were decorated with ribbons and pastel colored roses and other stunning flowers.

Dawn smiled at Cole as she approached, her soft lavender dress catching the breeze. Behind her came Angela, then Lexi, all radiating joy as they took their places opposite Cole and his groomsmen.

Annie and Angela were still building a relationship, and though they weren’t super close yet, Annie had felt she needed to have her sister as one of her bridesmaids.

The string quartet transitioned toOde to Joy, the song Annie had chosen to walk down the aisle to, and everyone rose to their feet, turning toward the back. Cole’s breath caught in his throat as Annie appeared on her father’s arm.

She was radiant in a simple, elegant gown of ivory satin that fit her slender figure perfectly. Her light brown hair was partially swept up, with soft tendrils framing her face. Her eyes shone with joy and love, and emotion threatened to choke Cole.

Duncan’s face was a study in composure, but Cole could see the emotion the man was fighting to contain as he walked his daughter down the aisle. When they reached the front, Duncan placed Annie’s hand in Cole’s, then stepped back after pressing a kiss to his daughter’s cheek.

“You’re breathtaking,” Cole whispered as he took both her hands in his after she handed her bouquet to Lexi.

Annie’s smile was radiant. “So are you.”

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